Ankle braces and supports are designed to provide warmth, compression and support to mild to moderate ankle strains and sprains. These braces typically accommodate an ankle so that the wearer can continue with daily activities despite injury. Such ankle braces may also be arranged to offer additional support in preventing or in post injury situations whether the brace is adapted for daily walking or participating in physical activities.
Many of these ankle braces give medial and lateral control of an ankle while allowing for normal dorsi and plantar flexion. These types of braces are also adapted for mild to moderate sprains, such as Grade I-III and high ankle sprains, strains, post cast support, proprioceptive deficit from previous traumatic injury, and injury prevention such as chronic ankle instability after rehabilitation is completed.
A hinged ankle brace usually offers superior support and stability compared to elastic or neoprene braces. These hinged ankle braces are dynamic braces in that they move as the ankle moves and contain various means to accommodate such movement. Many hinged braces are used for people who suffer from medial or lateral instability of the ankle, and these braces may also be tailored to addressing acute injuries following cast immobilization or after the use of a walking boot.